Angola Reports 13 Positive Cases of Monkeypox

Mbanza Kongo — Angola has registered so far a total 13 positive cases of monkeypox in the northern provinces of Cabinda and Uige, the country’s Health minister, Silvia Lutucuta, announced on Thursday.

Speaking to the press at the end of the 1st meeting of the Local Governance Council, chaired by President João Lourenço, the minister explained that of this number, nine cases were registered in the province of Cabinda and four in Uige.

According to the minister, in the province of Cabinda, there have been cases diagnosed since last year, highlighting that this year the region has reported, so far, five positive cases of Mpox.

Silvia Lutucuta appealed to the population to continue to observe the prevention measures that have been passed on by the health authorities to avoid the spread of the disease in the country.

The minister said health authorities are supplying doses of monkeypox vaccine to Angolan provinces that share the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as one of the preventive measures against monkeypox.

Silvia Lutucuta said that Angola has not yet registered any suspected cases of Ebola, which also plagues neighboring DRC, having reinforced appeal to the population to comply with preventive measures.

Among the measures being implemented by health authorities in border areas with the DRC, the minister cited temperature checks for people entering and leaving on both sides of the border.

The ministers advised against consuming wild game and avoid traveling to areas affected by the disease in the neighboring DRC. JL/AMP